The Business of Boutique Fitness

Y'all, For boutique fitness studio owners, scaling from a single location to a multi-club empire while maintaining premium standards seems impossible. But what if you could learn from someone who's done exactly that? Meet Rob Beal, Fitness Director at Third Space, who's helped grow them from 4 to 13 premium clubs across London and built the highest-valued fitness concept per square foot worldwide....

One brand I'm so excited to watch is LiveMetta – currently 11 yoga and Pilates studios (along with one spa) in Southern California. They're truly bringing something different to our space!    Tune in to our new series of conversations with amazing industry leaders: Episode 661: The Big Picture with Lise Kuecker and Chris Farnsworth of Live Metta.    Mission critical: embodying loving kindness as a...

Y'all may assume that because 77% of boutique fitness studio members are women, marketing to females is a no-brainer. They're showing up anyway, right?    Wrong. To grow, you must keep tweaking your outreach to this demographic. Learn how with Coach Rachel Prairie in Episode 660: Attracting & Retaining Female Clients in Your Studio.    Get close up: know your client avatar's age, interests, hobbie...

Want a relatively easy win-win for your studio? Consider partnering with another local business to drive traffic and boost sales in both places.    This goes beyond sharing a flyer or offering a discount. Coaches Rachel Prairie and Sep Uyttendaele lay out the possibilities in Episode 659: Partnering with Local Businesses.    Focus on fit: consider which businesses align with your brand and clients...

For boutique fitness studio owners, sometimes you're so deep in the weeds with sales, marketing and operations that you miss the big picture of what's happening in the industry.    So step out for a moment to look at the landscape with Coaches Rachel Prairie and Conor McGarry in Episode 658: Emerging Trends & Innovations in Fitness.    Follow the leaders: Pilates and strength are top trends in 202...

I'm pretty sure that most (all?) of us didn't open a boutique fitness studio to stare at spreadsheets and crunch numbers. Yet that's part of owning a business.   Learn what you really need to know with Coach Lindsey Hammond and guest CPA Kimberly Tara in Episode 657: Everything You've Been Too Embarrassed to Ask Your Accountant.   Know your obligations: you'll owe income, payroll, sales and proper...

Y'all, be honest. Do you really understand what a mission, vision and core values mean for your studio and why they matter? And why should you care?   Consider these essentials for a moment with Coach Matt Hanton and Lisa Taylor, Studio Grow's Bespoke program director, in Episode 656: Building Your Mission, Vision & Core Values.   Learn the language: mission is what you do; vision is the utopia yo...

Sure seems like everyone today is desperately seeking some zen on the mat. The global yoga industry is expected to climb from $180B in 2024 to $215B in 2025.   Coach and yoga studio owner Caroline Plambeck lays out the optimistic landscape of opportunities to capitalize on surging interest in Episode 655: The State of the Yoga Industry.   Ask for wish lists: chat with clients about their preferenc...

Let's talk money – as in financing your first studio or funding to scale and add locations. By understanding your options, you can quell your anxiety and prepare for the process.    Coaches Caroline Plambeck and Alex Lavelle got you covered in part 3 of our series: Episode 654: Real Estate, Loans and Investment: Deciding the Best Financing for Your Studio.   Speak the language: know conventional,...

Turning your vision into a reality can be intimidating without some know-how about the process. After securing funding, learn how to hire and work with a contractor in part 2 of this series.   In Episode 653: From Planning to Build-out: Financing Your Studio the Right Way, join Coach Caroline Plambeck and Coach Alex Lavelle for smart suggestions on this next step.   Tap your resources: seek referr...

I get it – funding and financing can be daunting when starting or expanding your studio. In this 3-part podcast series, we'll uncover some of the mystery to boost your comfort level.     Coach Caroline Plambeck and Coach Alex Lavelle start with the foundation in Episode 652: The Mindset of Financing: How to Fund Your Studio's Growth.    Check your wallet: your personal finances impact your ability...

A smarter approach than avoiding conversations that feel uncomfortable is confronting them thoughtfully. So stop dodging and start diving in.      But first, have a process in place. Coach Matt Hanton and Coach Rachel Prairie offer tested recos in Episode 651: Difficult Dialogues in Boutique Fitness, Part 2.    Anchor your angle: base discussions on your policies, mission, vision and values Seek s...

Y'all, I know that scaling your business seems kinda like a pipedream when you're eyeballs-deep in teaching classes, whipping up marketing, running payroll and washing towels.    But pause for just a moment to learn how to lay the groundwork with Coach Caroline Plambeck and guest Vince Gabriele, a gym owner, author and business coach, in Episode 650: Building a Strong Foundation: Key Strategies fo...

Even past the January New Year's resolutions crush, you've still got an opportunity to capture people who dropped off after an intro package or those who haven't yet jumped on their goals.    To capitalize on these ripe leads, refine your sales strategy with Coach Caroline Plambeck and Coach Matt Hanton in Episode 649: Refreshing Your Sales Strategy in a New Year.    Assess your avatar: tailor you...

For many of us in the studio industry, sales feels cringy. Pushy, in-your-face and relentless. Yet survival in this business requires ongoing sales.    Shift your perspective and pick up practical ways to approach the process with Coach Caroline Plambeck in Episode 648: Connect First, Sell Second: How to Transform Your Sales Mindset.   Create a connection: ask questions, focus on client and active...

Let's face it, your studio is a direct reflection of you. A thriving business typically means you're leading well, but a struggling studio may be a warning sign of a need for self-assessment.    Based on years of experience working with studio owners, Coach Catherine Hebb tells it like it is in Episode 647: Mirror of Success: 3 Personal Traits that Can Sabotage Your Business.   Get organized: stop...

As studio owners, we may think hiring more staff will automatically lighten our load and get everything running like clockwork. Many of us have discovered it's not quite that simple.   Hiring great team members is just the start. You also need a thorough onboarding process to help each employee thrive. Consider the essential components with Coach Elle Kealy in Episode 646: How to Build a Successfu...

Think about it – meetings typically invoke thoughts of boredom, wasted time and even dread. But they're critical for communication, information-sharing, collaboration and team-building.    Against these odds, how do you make your meetings productive, valuable, and…dare I say, fun? Coach Caroline Plambeck lays out your critical success factors in Episode 645: The Team Meeting Blueprint.   Give a he...

Let's face it, y'all, the real complexity of our businesses is our people. Simplification starts with smart management to empower them to thrive and, in turn, fuel your studio's success.    Learn more in Episode 644: A People-First Approach to Business – Part 2, as Coach Cara Hazelton continues her discussion with Amy Lefko, the author of People First. (If you missed Part 1, tune into Episode 639....

Even if Pilates isn't your jam, its skyrocketing popularity should grab your attention. The global Pilates industry was $178 billion in 2024. By 2031, it's projected to reach $392 billion.     Get an overview of the opportunities and issues in this thriving sector with Coach Catherine Hebb and Coach Cara Hazelton in Episode 643: The State of the Pilates Industry.   Know the OG: learn how Joseph Pi...

Your team is ultimately what differentiates your studio and keeps members coming back. But y'all, every owner understands that managing people means confronting issues.     So tap some proven advice on common points of friction from Coach Elle Kealy and Coach Catherine Hebb in Episode 642: How to Build a Successful Team, Part 2: Q&A Issues with Your Team.   Maximize meeting attendance: provide adv...

No one likes difficult conversations. Ever. But to be a successful boutique fitness studio owner, you've gotta ditch the discomfort and address these inevitable interactions.     Begin with practical tips from industry veterans Coach Cara Hazelton and Coach Matt Hanton. Tune into Episode 641: Difficult Dialogues in Boutique Fitness to tackle these head-on.   Establish expectations: have clear poli...

After an estimated 1.3 million people left the boutique fitness studio workforce during the pandemic, owners are trying to conquer the ongoing challenges of finding good team members.   So grab some invaluable insights on attracting staff from Coach Catherine Hebb and professional recruitment expert Nina Sarge in Episode 640: How to Build a Successful Team, Part 1: Recruitment.   Role call: keep t...

Ever tempted to ditch the "customer is always right" philosophy? What if you shifted your focus to your team instead? Is that a recipe for disaster? Or success?   Scratch the surface of a proven method to grow your people and your business In Episode 639: A People-First Approach to Business with Coach Cara Hazelton and Amy Lafko, an organizational design expert, keynote speaker and the author of P...

Y'all, people typically buy based on emotion over logic. I know I have! By understanding and tapping into how your prospects feel, you'll ultimately win more sales.   In Episode 638, The Psychology of Sales, Coach Caroline Plambeck outlines the need-to-knows and practical applications to refine your sales process. You'll dig into the consumer's mind and motivation to uncover what really drives pur...